The Indian judiciary comprises of nearly 15,000
courts situated in approximately 2,500 court complexes throughout
the country. The total no. of pending cases in these Courts as on
01.01.2005 was 2, 94, and 97,251.

In the Indian Judiciary, effort for
computerization of some of its processes has been going on since
1990. From 2001-03, 700 city courts in four metros were computerised
and during 2003-04, computerisation of another 900 courts were
undertaken.

Need was felt to make the programme of ICT enablement of the
Indian Judiciary mission-critical. Under NeGP as a MMP, it is
proposed to implement ICT in Indian judiciary in three phases over a
period of five years. The project scope is to develop, deliver,
install and implement automated decision making and decision support
system in 700 courts of Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata & Chennai; 900
courts in the 29 capital city courts of states and UTs and 13000
district and subordinate courts.

The objectives of the project are:

To help judicial administrations of the courts
in streamlining their day-to-day activities

·To assist judicial administration in reducing
the pendency of cases

·To provide transparency of information to the
litigants

·To provide access to legal and judicial
databases to the
judges.

The project has been devised following the
report submitted by the E-committee on national policy &
technology in the Indian judiciary. The project will be implemented
in 3 phases spread over a period of 5 years at a cost of Rs.854
crores. In the first phase, computer rooms & judicial service
centres would set up in all 2500 court complexes. About 15,000
judicial officers would be provided with laptops. Digital
inter-connectivity would be established between all courts from the
taluk level to the apex court. The project also aims at creation of
e-filing facility in the supreme court & high courts. The first
phase also envisages development of comprehensive & integrated
customised software application for the entire judicial system with
regional languages support. in the second phase, it would be
possible to provide ICT coverage of judicial process from filing to
execution level & also of all administrative activities. In
third phase, it would be creating of information gateways between
courts & public agencies & departments. The project is
expected to lead to complete demystification of the adjudicatory
process thereby ensuring transparency, accountability &
cost-effectiveness.